Upon a floating platform a group of men fish into the abyss. The men are very aware of the fact that platform is not stable and they must constantly cooperate to evenly distribute their weight and prevent the platform from tipping anyone off. This harmonious existence is broken when one of the men catches a heavy trunk on his fishing line which turns out to be a music box. As only one person can hear the music box at a time, a struggle ensues as to who has the right to it--a struggle that permanently unbalances their precarious existence.